The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa, and Omar M. Yaghi for the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) — remarkable crystalline materials that are transforming how we capture, store, and use molecules.

MOFs are built by linking metal ions with organic molecules to create open, porous structures with enormous internal surface areas — sometimes equivalent to an entire football field in a single gram of material. These frameworks can “host” gases or liquids, acting almost like molecular sponges.

The laureates’ pioneering work turned a scientific curiosity into one of the most versatile materials platforms in modern chemistry. MOFs are now being explored for carbon capture, clean hydrogen storage, water harvesting from desert air, and pollution control — offering promising tools to address global challenges in energy and the environment.

This Nobel Prize also highlights the powerful intersection of chemistry, crystallography, and materials science — disciplines that have long collaborated within the ACA community. Understanding and designing MOFs depends on precise structural knowledge, much of it derived from crystallographic techniques that allow scientists to visualize and refine these intricate frameworks atom by atom.

For the ACA, this year’s Nobel serves as both an inspiration and a reminder of how crystallographic insights underpin breakthroughs across chemistry. It celebrates not only molecular design, but the spirit of collaboration, creativity, and discovery that defines our field.

Congratulations to Professors Robson, Kitagawa, and Yaghi for this well-deserved recognition — and to all crystallographers whose work continues to illuminate the architecture of matter.

Read more from the official Nobel Prize press page: Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 – Press Release